$9 for a loaf of bread in Tokyo? $2,100 for a dinner bill in Paris? To see which cities are the most expensive for residents and visitors, the Economist looked at the prices -- in U.S. dollars -- of everyday items in cities worldwide.

A German newspaper reports the country's central bank will repatriate parts of its massive gold reserves worth about $200 billion at current market rates from storage sites in the United States and in France.

Hurricane Sandy grounded more than 18,000 flights, and it will be days before travel gets back to normal. Authorities closed the three big New York airports, and the ripple effects from the shutdown of the nation's busiest airspace are dramatically affecting travelers in cities far and wide.

The jcp design groupe is bringing legitimate fashion cred to the retailer, with trendy looks that rival higher-end, higher-priced chains. Follow their new camel cape from conception to consumer with us and you'll get the message they're sending: This is not your mother's J.C. Penney.

Summer is around the corner, but vacation budgets for many families are tight. Still, a bit of belt-tightening doesn't have to mean giving up your dream vacation if you're able to escape the costs of a hotel and car rental. Now could be the time to take a leap of faith and try a home exchange or swap.

The Japanese are the world's most voracious consumers of luxury goods, from Louis Vuitton handbags to Cartier jewelry to Hermes high fashion. So purveyors of those luxury goods are justifiably worried about the effect of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami on their bottom lines.